Evangelical Texas pastor Tony Evans steps down from church due to unnamed 'sin'

Dr. Tony Evans, a well-known evangelical Texas pastor, has stepped down from leadership at his church.

In a statement posted Sunday to the church's website, Evans, the senior pastor at Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, Texas, said he is stepping down due to an unnamed "sin."

"The foundation of our ministry has always been our commitment to the Word of God as the absolute supremestandard of truth to which we are to conform our lives," Evans' statement reads. "When we fall short of that standard due to sin, we are required to repent and restore our relationship with God. A number of years ago, I fell short of that standard. I am, therefore, required to apply the same biblical standard of repentance and restoration to myself that I have applied to others."

Evans said he has "committed no crime," but "did not use righteous judgement in my actions."

According to the church, the decision for Evans to step down was made after "tremendous prayer and multiple meetings" with Evans and church elders.

Bobby Gibson, a pastor at the church, and church elders are expected to provide more information in the coming days regarding interim leadership and the future.

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Who is Tony Evans?

Evans founded Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas in 1976 with 10 members in his home. The church has since grown to over 10,000 members.

He has a radio program, "The Alternative with Dr. Tony Evans" that airs on over 1,000 stations worldwide, and previously served as the chaplain for both the Dallas Cowboys and the Dallas Mavericks.

Tony Evans's first wife was Lois Evans who passed away in 2019. The couple had four children: Chrystal Hurst, Priscilla Shirer, Anthony Jr. Evans and Jonathan Evans. The pastor remarried new wife Carla Evans, formerly Carla Crummie, in November of 2023.